‘I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season’: World No.1 Sabalenka creates history with second straight US Open title

Aryna Sabalenka once again proved why she is the best hardcourt player in the world as she lifted her second straight US Open title on Saturday, September 6. The World No. 1 beat local girl Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(3) in the final to win her fourth Grand Slam trophy.

Sabalenka also became the first woman since Serena Williams to defend the crown at Flushing Meadows. Serena won the US Open title three times in a row from 2012 to 2014. Sabalenka won a whopping $5 million for being crowned the US Open champion this year.  

Sabalenka on her historic win

With this win, she also completed her 100th Grand Slam match victory and celebrated in style, arriving at her press conference with champagne and goggles. “You know, this one felt like I had to overcome a lot of things to get this one. I knew that the hard work we put in, like, I deserved to have a Grand Slam title this season,” she said.

“It means a lot to defend this title and to bring such great tennis on the court. To bring the fight and be able to handle my emotions the way I did in this final, it means a lot. I’m super proud right now of myself,” she added.

Sabalenka, who had lost finals earlier this year in Melbourne and Paris and also fell in the Wimbledon semifinal, said this win meant a lot to her. “After the Australian Open I thought that the right way would be just to forget it and move on, but then the same thing happened at the French Open. So I figured that, okay, maybe it’s time for me to sit back and to look at those finals and to maybe learn something,” she said.

“Going into this final I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions. I’m not going to let them take control over me, and doesn’t matter what happens in the match. My mindset was just going out there, fight for every point. Doesn’t matter of the situation. Just focus on myself and focus on things that I have to do to win the match,” Sabalenka added.

What happened in the final?

Sabalenka had ice in her veins as she saved three break points in a nervy first game and Anisimova handed over the early break when she sent a shot past the baseline in the second.

Anisimova hit her stride when she won a 12-shot rally with a forehand winner out of Sabalenka’s reach to break back in the third game and she went up a break as Sabalenka hit one beyond the baseline in the fifth.

The tiger-tattooed Belarusian prowled along the baseline in frustration, tuning out the fans who were squarely in her opponent’s favour as she faced an American in the final for a third straight year.

Sabalenka pounced on her chance to get the momentum back, breaking Anisimova to love in the sixth and converting on another break point from the baseline in the eighth.

She closed out the first set with an unreturnable serve and sent a backhand whizzing past the American to convert on a break point in the third game of the second set.

Anisimova refused to give up as she levelled it in the sixth with a backhand winner of her own, whipping the fans into a frenzy, but the American party ended abruptly as their home hope sent the ball into the net on break point in the seventh.

Anisimova stayed in it as Sabalenka helped her break back with a flubbed smash in the 10th game but buckled to the Belarusian’s power in the tiebreak, where Sabalenka sprinted through to triumph.

(With agency inputs)